Errors blighted Sharks character
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Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold says he is still proud of the character shown by his charges against the Cheetahs, but it was the simple errors that cost them.
The Sharks showed a new energy in attack that contrasted to last seasons 'kick and chase' mentality, however with it came some simple handling errors that let the home team down in humid conditions.
Gold said after the game that with this new style of play errors were to be expected, but he was not happy with the how, and where, these mistakes were made.
"Bitterly disappointed in ourselves really," Gold after the loss.
"In the performance we failed to deliver. We can live with mistakes but we just kept them [the Cheetahs] in the game with the errors that we made.
"Our mistakes were in the wrong areas of the field, I saw their confidence growing and that adversely affected us."
In saying that, Gold could not fault his players attitude or determination in how they wanted to play as he praised their character and grit shown – especially towards the end when Marcell Coetzee nearly scored to win it.
"I am proud of the character of the guys, but there were a lot of silly basic errors that just kept them [the Cheetahs] in the game," the coach said.
"The thing is we have not really made those mistakes regularly, and it is not ideal.
"But we are not the first team to loose an opening game and we are just going to have to show some character now.
"We showed some good character in the second half to come back and stay in the fight.
"At one stage in the second half, the way the penalty count was going, I thought they were going to run way with it.
"But we stuck in the fight and if Marcell [Coetzee] had scored we would be sitting here having a different conversation.
Despite the errors coming from an expansive, attacking mindset from the Sharks who were looking to keep the ball alive, Gold remains adamant that the players do not want to revert back to a conservative style of rugby.
"We want to play a ball in hand game, we want to ask questions of teams.
"It was quite clear that the guys do not want to play a kick and chase game and grind out wins, but unfortunately with that goes errors – but it is a work in progress," concluded Gold.
By Darryn Pollock
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